STORRS — The Huskies and their defense were on a getting-to-know-you basis last season.

Now, it's time to take the relationship to the next step.

"Last year was the first year in our defense, we were at the 100 level, where you're basically memorizing your responsibilities," senior safety Andrew Adams said. "We're starting to take that next step ... and once we get there, it will get us to be one of the best defenses in the country."

Although the 2-10 record doesn't show it, UConn did have a strong defense last season.

A No. 49 ranking in total defense (378.6 yards) in the first year of a system leaves many wondering just how good things could get, especially if the Huskies can keep teams from scoring a little less. UConn allowed a shade under 30 points a game, due in part to an offense allowed the opposition good field position.

"A guy who gets into that 200 starts to really utilize the concepts of the defense," senior linebacker Graham Stewart said. "He knows that the guy next to him is doing this, the guy behind him is doing that, so he better be doing this, otherwise he's going to put unneeded stress on the other two guys. It's understanding concepts and letting yourself free flow. You don't want to be a robot out there."

The defense gets a big challenge early. Five of their first six opponents last season reached a bowl game, and each of those teams' quarterbacks are returning. That includes BYU's Taysom Hill, who danced and pranced for two touchdowns and threw for three more in a 35-10 win over the Huskies to open the 2014 season. The Huskies go to his place this year (Oct.2).

Villanova quarterback John Robertson, the 2014 Walter Payton Award winner, which goes to the best player in the FCS, will be in East Hartford to open the season Sept. 3. He threw 35 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. Maty Mauk returns for Missouri, which appeared in the SEC championship game. The Huskies go to Columbia Sept. 19. Keenan Reynolds, the third-leading rusher in school Navy history (3,186 yards, 64 career TDs) is in Sept. 26. Justin Holman of Central Florida (2,952 yards, 23 TDs) will see UConn in Orlando Oct. 10, and the Knights should be motivated since the Huskies beat them for their only BCS win of the season.

UConn hosts Army Sept.12. The Huskies had a dismal time defending the triple option in a 35-21 loss to the Black Knights at Yankee Stadium.

So for a guy like Adams, second on the team in tackles (96) and the leader in interceptions (four), what would moving to the 200 level mean against the run?

"As an example, I'm looking at the tackles to see how their hands are dug in the ground to tell whether it's a run or a pass," Adams said. "It's also knowing that if the defensive line is stunting inside, if they run the ball, it's going to be outside, so I'm going to stay out there. Things like that, as a defense, we're trying to get accomplished at every position."

"He's had one of the best transformations from young man to man that we've been around in a long time," Diaco said. "He's just doing an absolute great job, physically, emotionally, leadership-wise, working on his game, his character, academics, the whole package. He's getting ready to set himself up for a nice life and I gotta believe that's going to equal production. In my world and the way my brain works, when you make an investment like that, you're going to see a return."

McQuillan has wanted to play football at UConn since he was 7. He's 23 now and in his final season. Last year, he started 11 games and caught 16 passes for 158 yards. He caught 25 for 193 in 2013. McQuillan has a touchdown in each of the past two seasons.

He has all the physical tools (6 feet 3, 247 pounds) to have a strong season.

Pro Day Is Tuesday

UConn's Pro Day on campus is Tuesday at 8:45 a.m. Pro Day is not open to the public. NFL representatives from just about every team evaluate and test the UConn hopefuls who intend to make themselves eligible for the NFL draft (May 30-April 2). Wide receiver Geremy Davis and defensive back Byron Jones, who set a world broad jump record (12 feet, 3 inches) while adding an impressive vertical jump (44.5 inches) at the NFL combine in February, are the top UConn candidates this year. Jones may or may not do those events at Pro Day. He doesn't have to, but scouts will want to see how he performs in the 40-yard dash and bench press, two events he did not do at the combine. ... Diaco noticed during the 2014 season junior Bobby Puyol was overanalyzing things, particularly every small movement during the kick. Puyol was nine of 14 on field goals and 19 of 22 on extra points. Diaco said Puyol is in a much better place. "New coach, new team, you're trying to make an impact," Diaco said. "Some of it is getting in [last season] and some of it's not, or some of it's getting in and a lot of it's not. Over time, though, through interactions and the relationships you build, the more gets in." ... Diaco has been impressed with the development of right tackle Andreas Knappe (6-8, 310), who started out on the defensive side of the ball when he first arrived from Denmark in 2012. Knappe, a junior, played in 10 games, started seven and was the best run-blocker on the team last season.